


Not Quite the Last Goodbye

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/F, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-05-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 13:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/786336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So do you want to have a drink?  Do you want to pontificate on the sociology versus psychology of behavior, or some such?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Quite the Last Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Jordan Todd Appreciation Week on Tumblr. I've always loved her character so knew this was something I wanted to be involved in.

“Hey, are you alright?” Emily walked into Jordan’s office, closing the door that had been ajar.

“Mmm hmm.” She was packing up her things. It was time to go; it was past time to go.

“Are you sure.”

“I'm fine. How are you?”

“Jordan…”

“It’s OK, Emily. We don’t need to have an awkward conversation. I’d really appreciate it if we didn't. I'm just going to pack up, and go back to my neck of the woods. Agent Jareau will be back on Wednesday; Agent Hotchner has graciously offered to field all calls and inquiries until that time. I'm sure you guys will be glad to have her back.”

“That doesn’t mean I won't miss you.” Emily leaned against the desk where Jordan was sitting.

“I'm three floors down and around the corner. You're welcome in Counterterrorism anytime.”

“Don’t be surprised if I take you up on that offer.”

Emily tried to smile. The air wasn’t right. She wanted to help but Jordan’s body language told her to stay away. That wasn’t what her eyes said though, and the mixed signals were confusing. Emily didn't want to step on her toes but she’d done her best to be there for Jordan during her time in the BAU. 

It wasn’t just because Hotch asked her to. Emily remembered what it was like to be the new girl. Without the proper hand up you could easily sink in all of the muck. Derek had been a friend to her and now Emily was paying it forward. It was the right thing to do and besides that, she wanted to.

“Emily?”

“Yes?”

“How do you do it? I've got a strong will, and a strong stomach. I've seen things in Counterterrorism that I never wanted to see. But the BAU…”

“I just close off certain parts of my brain.” Emily replied. “That’s not easy for everyone but I've been doing it since I was a little girl. I do my best not to let the bad guys get into the personal sides of me. I try to keep my focus on the people we’re helping to save or bring closure to and not the monsters who hurt them. I think of the lessons of those who came before and hold them close when it gets bad. I drink…a lot.”

“I like that last one.” Jordan managed a smile.

“I do. Almost everything I do, I do it to excess.”

“I know for a fact that you're an adorable, and slightly belligerent, drunk.”

“Thank you. We work in teams for a reason. The BAU is constantly evolving, it’s alive. In the beginning there would be one profiler on a case, sometimes two. Over time the Bureau saw what this job could do to people and knew that wasn’t the way they wanted to handle it anymore. 

“I lean on my team; that’s what they’re there for. We all have an expertise that makes us a valuable resource but it’s also about having each other’s back. No one wants to wander through the darkness alone. This job can be very dark.”

“Tell me about it. I guess for me, and this might sound so weird, but I know why terrorists do what they do. I don’t agree with it but I have studied it. They’ve been with us since the beginning of time and most have no problem claiming responsibility for what they do and telling you why. 

“With the crimes you guys deal with…” she sighed. “It just seems so senseless. Terrorism is senseless too but the cultures are completely different.”

“I understand.” Emily nodded.

“You do? I was trying to explain it to another friend and they didn't get it.”

“I have the unique experience of dealing with both. I grew up in the Middle East in the 70s. While it’s not the birthplace of terrorism, there were many dark times there that I was witness to.”

“Is there anything you haven’t experienced?” Jordan asked.

“I'm sure there is. But some days it doesn’t feel like it. Maybe someday we can sit down and have drinks and discuss experiences. We can pontificate on the sociology versus psychology of behavior, or some such.”

“I'm free tomorrow. Maybe the Unsubs will give you the night off too.”

“Weekends seem to be a good time for losing your mind.” Emily said. “But I can definitely cross my fingers. It’s been at least a month since we had some serious office time. I'm tired of planes, motels, morgues, and crime scenes. Give me some paperwork over that any day. Not to mention that I do enjoy sleeping in my own bed every once in a while. It keeps me grounded.”

“So do you want to have a drink? Do you want to pontificate on the sociology versus psychology of behavior, or some such?” Jordan asked.

“Yeah.” Emily smiled as she nodded. Her smile faded after a moment, her face solemn. “I wish you weren't leaving.”

“You know where to find me, Emily.”

“I do, except I have this thing where I lose people. I don’t always want to but it happens. I'm sure some of it is my fault but…I don’t want to lose you. I've lost enough.”

“Someone needs a hug.”

Jordan smiled as she got up from the desk. She walked around it and launched herself into Emily. That made the other woman laugh; they both held on tight. Jordan was able to exhale, finally. Then she inhaled the light scent of Emily’s perfume and it made her dizzy with want. 

When she rubbed her back, Emily breathed a satisfied sigh. Their second kiss was effortless. It wasn’t sloppy and awkward like their first one had been so many months ago. An FBI office was probably the last place that two agents needed to be in an intimate entanglement. 

Neither woman wanted to let go. This time Jordan was going to kiss Emily like she wanted to. This time Emily was going to put herself out there and see what happened. It was risky for them in so many ways but at the moment that wasn’t something they cared about.

Someone knocked on the door and Emily moved away from Jordan. She wasn’t sure if the noise she heard come from her diaphragm was real or in her imagination. Jordan closed her eyes as Emily licked her lips. Clearing her throat, Jordan told the person to come in.

“Jordan, I…” Hotch stopped when he saw Emily in the office. “Am I interrupting something?”

“No.” Emily shook her head, putting on her happy Prentiss thing. “I was just saying goodbye. I’ll see you soon, Jordan.”

“Yeah.” Jordan cleared her throat again.

Emily smiled once more, walking out of the room. Hotch watched her go and then turned back to Jordan. He wore the usual ‘Hotch’ look on his face but she could see the kindness in his eyes. She went back behind the desk; there were still a few things she needed to pack.

“Agent Todd, I came to extend thanks for the work you’ve done these past few months in the BAU. I know it wasn’t always easy for you, as I wasn’t always easy, but you stood up to both tough scrutiny and tough moments.”

“I fell a couple of times as well.” Jordan smiled but it was sad.

“None of us is perfect. Some cases are certainly more difficult than others. I trust Jennifer Jareau, and she trusted you with this job. She made the right choice.”

“I appreciate that, Agent Hotchner.”

“You're an excellent Agent. Counterterrorism is lucky to have you, and so were we for a little while.”

Hotch extended his hand and Jordan shook it. She didn't think he was being truthful but he was being a good leader. It mattered but it also didn't. Jordan took pride at being excellent at her job. 

Media liaison for the BAU wasn’t her job. She did the best she could but felt as if she failed in the end. More than anything, she was just glad it was over. With all of that, Jordan still appreciated that Hotch had come to her and said anything.

“Jordan, I've got nothing but the good stuff.” Dave walked into her office with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. “Aaron, are you joining us for a drink?”

“Not if I want to get this work finished.” Hotch shook his head. “Thank you for your dedication, Agent Todd.”

“You're welcome.”

Hotch left and Rossi put the two tumblers down on the desk. He sat in one of the chairs; Jordan sat down as well.

“It’s been a long day.” He said, pouring the whiskey.

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Dave asked.

“Everything happens for a reason.” Jordan reached across the desk and took the tumbler. She wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker, at least if it wasn’t mixed with something else. Tonight she didn't mind so much. “That’s what my father always told me.”

“My father always told me to stay out of a woman’s way when she was angry. It was excellent advice, which I now know because I didn't listen to him.”

“Let’s drink to that.”

“To staying out of an angry woman’s way?” he raised an eyebrow.

“No.” Jordan shook her head. “Let’s drink to excellent advice…and knowing when to listen to it.”

“Hear, hear.” Dave held up his tumbler at the same time Jordan did.

***


End file.
